Anyways, I've been playing all the Skirmish maps on the expansion and as I played as the Empire against the Consortium I noticed that they have really powerful units and they're a really difficult faction to beat. The Empire is supposed to be able to use sheer numbers and fire power to defeat it's enemies but I found the Consortium was definitely able to stand up to 6 AT-AT's lumbering towards their base (with all the stormtroopers in tow). The Canderous Assault Tanks, MZ-8 Pulse Cannon, Grenadiers, Destroyer Droids, and Missile Attack Launcher were all very powerful and a huge nuisance. I suppose that the premise behind the Consortium's firepower is that it's all black market technology and that's why it's so powerful, but still, the Empire is supposed to be able to level everything in it's way. I felt that the AT-ATs were not heavily armored enough and I understand the reasoning behind it, but I still kind of wanted a somewhat unstoppable army.

Indeed ... it's pretty much deserted at the moment .
But perhaps I can offer some small comfort :
I agree with you. Consortium units seem a trifle too individually powerful for the scum of the universe that they are. There faction design is therefore a bit puzzling. I, too, had envisioned something along the lines of many cheap and expendable units ... but instead the Consortium excels in many areas with top-notch units that are arguably the best of all three factions. You just have to consider infantry - where their grenadiers easily vaporize almost the entire competition.
I agreeem that in skirmish matches, the Consortium seems to have the least problems to defeat the enemy (although I have played no multiplayer match yet). It's not quite as glaring as it might appear at the first glance, though.
You seem to be a proud fellow member of the imperial army - so here are a few tips which might help you in bringing peace and order to the galaxy:

I used to have a lot of problems against those pesky missile tanks - they are almost ridiculously effective - even without their slowing ability. But a mobile build pad with a missile disturbance system (I forgot the proper name) in combination with other units works marvelously to secure some key places against these infuriating things.

Against canderous tanks you might want to try phase 3 dark troopers. In stationary mode their missiles tend to shred those monsters wonderfully. AT-AT's are certainly pretty good, too ... but you really need some powerful cover with a less limited field of fire ... and that's what the latest model of dark troopers does perfectly.

In my experience these two unit types - canderous and missile tanks ... usually were the greatest menace. Pulse tanks can be dangerous, but are easily outmaneuvered with swifter units like at-st's. A more serious problem are the incredibly powerful consortium heroes - but that's what tie maulers were made for I hope that was helpful ...

Yes, it was. I wasn't sure if I just sucked or the Consortium was really good. Even in space battles I definitely need to have a solid strategy against them. The Keldabe Battleships and the Aggressor Battleships are also really powerful and I usually have to come at them from different angles with Victory-class Star Destroyers and fighters(using them as bait and chipping away at the Battleships) and then hyperspace in Star Destroyers and possibly Thrawn and Piett to try and finish them off.

I understand and really appreciate the Rebels strategy of fewer, versatile units that play different roles and they usually have good defenses. This is also in tandem with the Alliance's attitude toward their men and this shows in their weapons and vehicles (boost shield abilities on capital ships, shield MDU, heavy armor on T4-B Tanks, defense upgrades for troops, etc).

The Consortium, however, seems to have characteristics of both the Empire and the Alliance because they use heavy firepower and brute force and they're units are heavily armored (most have shields) and play different roles. I also think that the turrets they can build are more useful. I suppose that this is supposed to go in line with the black market aspects of the Consortium and also how they're hiring mercenaries (who may be a little more hardier and brutal than the typical soldier). I guess I think that since the Consortium ended up being so powerful then the Empire should have gotten a boost in firepower too in the expansion (since their units are so expendable), and that would have balanced it out. I still play EAW like it's my job though, and I usually play as the Empire since it poses the greatest challenge (they're the weakest faction in my opinion).

Note that the Cons have little amount of building variety.
In addition, their units are much more expensive and they have no shield generator, so they are COMPLETELY vulnerable to Ping-Bomb(Using sensor ping to bomb a location without having to move there.
Yes their units ARE overpowered but...... *points to MC30 and Core. Corvette*)

EDIT: AND the fact that bel Iblis can run over vehicles except the AT-AT and heroes

Yes. The Consortium Faction had overpowered the Empire and Alliance because those Keldabe Battleships(mass driver) and the Aggressor Battleships(megaweapon) damage your hardpoints directly. I think the worst fleet you might get will be a group of Aggressor Battleships.

Unless you try modding, when other newly designed ships come hyperspace into the game. That would be a different story ) Mods are available @ www.moddb.com and you can even customise your units if you know how to.

Well in my opinion, Me and my brother played the first empire at war and the expansion as well. We got to the point to where we couldn't stand ground fights anymore and we wanted to just share the galaxy (split half, and half). We would amass huge space fleets we would take turns who has the level 5 space station or not. Well we noticed the game was like paper rock scissors!

Empire > Consortium
Consortium > Rebel
Rebel > Empire

At least that stands for space fights only.

My reasons to back up my claims.

well the empire has the deathstar which i do recall it has a nice constant spawn of ships and all the empire needs is a bunch of SD's and other ships that unload smaller ships and have them just sit backand guard darth vaders rear while the smaller ships attacked/defended the front of vaders ship.
MEAN WHILE whatever you build up as Consortium in the end you will be defeated no matter what... I had taken out vader, and all his cruisers but by that time my fleet was little to none then the death star (while we were fighting blew up my space station) it was just a fight i already knew i lost as soon as we started. I have never won against my brother has Consortium.

Consortium V Rebel is more of a fair fight, and to us we enjoyed this one... tactics are more needed but we dislike both of these factions (wish we could do empire V empire) :P

But im sure you understand the rest and what not, if you would like later i could go on about the other faction fights we had.

even on demo, its plain to see: the Consortium has a lot of firepower. i beat the last map on it with just 8 MZ-8 pulse cannons and a platoon of troops. I only lost one cannon fighting the AT-AT and i thought 'damn, why do the Rebels win? it should've been these guys'